Kim Hellberg explains Connor Barron’s Middlesbrough situation after Barry Ferguson speaks out.

Kim Hellberg has revealed that Connor Barron has continued to impress at Middlesbrough despite the midfielder’s frustrating lack of first-team opportunities since arriving from Rangers.

Barron completed a season-long loan move to Boro from the Scottish giants on deadline day, but the midfielder is still waiting to make his competitive debut for Hellberg’s side.

The 23-year-old was initially left out of Middlesbrough’s matchday squads following his arrival. Since the international break, however, Barron has at least been included among the substitutes for three Championship fixtures.

Despite making the bench on each occasion, he has remained an unused substitute, leaving him without a single minute of league action since joining the Teesside club.

His situation has attracted attention in Scotland, with former Rangers manager Barry Ferguson recently suggesting that the Ibrox club should be concerned about how Barron’s loan spell is developing.

However, Hellberg has offered a different explanation and insists the player’s lack of involvement is not the result of poor performances or an attitude problem.

Hellberg impressed by Barron’s attitude

The Middlesbrough boss says Barron has done everything expected of him away from matchdays and has been particularly impressed with his application during training.

Hellberg believes the midfielder’s current situation is more a consequence of competition for places and circumstances than anything Barron has done wrong.

Barron has also had an opportunity to demonstrate his ability during a behind-closed-doors friendly against Newcastle during the international break.

The former Rangers player reportedly performed well in that match and scored the only goal as Middlesbrough secured a 1-0 victory.

For Hellberg, the message to Barron is straightforward: remain patient, continue working hard and be prepared to take advantage when an opportunity eventually arrives.

Competition is influencing selection

Hellberg explained that selecting a team is not about simply rewarding players with appearances. Instead, every player must continue to compete for their place through performances and their work during training.

“My job is not to give people things or be kind,” Hellberg said.

“You have to measure things all the time. Sometimes it’s down to competition, sometimes it’s down to the performance, how they train and all those things.”

The manager also discussed Barron alongside Leo Castledine, another player who has found himself watching from the sidelines recently.

According to Hellberg, both players have been doing plenty of positive things on the training ground despite their lack of opportunities on matchday.

He accepts that football can sometimes come down to timing and luck, particularly when several players are competing for the same positions.

“For both Connor and Leo, they’ve done a lot of good things lately on the training ground and sometimes for a player it can be down to a little bit of luck,” Hellberg explained.

“Both of them are doing everything they can on the ground.”

Barron urged to remain patient

The Middlesbrough boss acknowledged that managing players who are desperate for minutes can be difficult.

Coaches have to make constant decisions about whether to change a winning team, rotate their squad or maintain continuity. That can mean some players are forced to wait longer than expected for their opportunity.

Hellberg believes the key for Barron is to avoid allowing frustration to affect his preparation.

“That’s sometimes the balance as a coach, I should rest people and I should not rest people, they should come in and they should not come in,” he said.

“For everyone, the message is just to keep going.”

Hellberg knows that remaining motivated without regular football can be one of the hardest challenges for a player.

He therefore praised Barron and Castledine for maintaining their standards despite being unable to secure regular minutes.

Hellberg points to previous examples

The Boro manager also highlighted examples from last season to demonstrate why players who are currently out of favour must continue working.

Alex Gilbert was one of those who initially appeared to be nowhere near the first-team picture, only for an opportunity to eventually arrive.

Hellberg believes Gilbert’s experience demonstrates how quickly circumstances can change in football.

“Look at last season, [Alex] Gilbert wasn’t even close but he gets that chance and did very good things. Now it’s the same thing,” he said.

He also referenced Neto Borges as another example of a player whose position within the squad changed significantly.

“There was no-one thinking Neto [Borges] should play a game here and now look at him,” Hellberg added.

The message to Barron is therefore clear: remain prepared because opportunities can emerge unexpectedly.

Ferguson questioned Barron’s loan move

While Hellberg remains confident about Barron’s progress, Ferguson has expressed concern about the midfielder’s lack of playing time.

Speaking on the 5 Stars Podcast, the former Rangers midfielder and manager said he believes Barron is capable of playing regularly and needs consistent football at this stage of his career.

“He is good enough to play. Wee Connor, in my opinion, is a really good player. He is at an age where he needs to play every single week,” Ferguson said.

Ferguson questioned why Middlesbrough would have taken Barron on loan if the club did not intend to give him meaningful opportunities.

“If he is not going to get any game time – which I am surprised at Middlesbrough, why would they take him if they are not going to play him? – you would need to bring him back and maybe try to get him another loan,” he added.

Despite those concerns, Hellberg’s comments suggest Middlesbrough are not unhappy with Barron’s progress.

Instead, the manager believes the midfielder has responded professionally to a difficult period and remains firmly in contention.

For Barron, the next step is simply to continue performing in training and wait for his opportunity. When it arrives, Hellberg expects him to be ready to make the most of it.